Ohio State Basketball Adds Scottie Pippen’s Son in Transfer Portal Splash

The college basketball season wrapped up on Monday night with Ohio State's archrival, Michigan, claiming the championship title. However, it didn’t take long for the Buckeyes to make their first move of the offseason.

University of California guard Justin Pippen is transferring to Ohio State, as reported by ESPN's Pete Thamel on Friday.

According to Pippen's representatives at WME Basketball, the move has been confirmed to ESPN.

Who is Justin Pippen?

Pippen is a 6-foot-3 guard who recently completed his sophomore season, averaging 14.2 points, 4.6 assists and 3.9 rebounds over the course of 32 games.

Many Ohio State fans probably already know who Pippen is for a few reasons. One of the main ones is that he is the son of NBA legend Scottie Pippen, who played 17 seasons in the NBA, most notably alongside Michael Jordan with the Chicago Bulls, where they won six NBA championships together.

Another reason Buckeyes fans are familiar with Pippen is that he played his freshman year at Michigan. Pippen appeared n 28 games for the Wolverines in the 2024-25 season, recording 1.6 points per game.

Although Pippen upholds a prominent basketball legacy, he truly embraces the pressure that comes with it.

“I love that pressure, just having to play up to the name,” Justin said on Jan 13, via Steve Kroner from the San Francisco Chronicle. “I’ve got people coming for me. So, I feel like I’ve got a chip on my shoulder going into every game, just wanting to keep up the legacy.”

How Pippen will fit in with Ohio State

Pippen will likely play a major role for Ohio State this season, and as of right now, he should be a starter. There is a chance the Buckeyes will lose both of their starting guards from this past season, with point guard Bruce Thornton heading to the NBA after wrapping up his senior season, and shooting guard John Mobley Jr. entering the NBA process.

Mobley has a good chance of returning to Ohio State for his junior season, especially after he goes through the NBA process and the scouting combine. If he realizes that he won't be a high draft pick, he might decide to stay another year. Even if Mobley returns for another season, he should take on the starting point guard role, which would leave Pippen to play alongside him.

The Buckeyes adding Pippen is a good start to the offseason, but they need to add another guard or two and look to add a few more players in the front court.